Work-presenting device for marking machines



Oct. 10, 1933. P. R. GLASS 1,929,549

WORK PRESENTING DEVICE FOR MARKING MACHINES Original Filed July 13, 19274 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 10, 1933. R GLASS 1,929,549

- WORK PRESENTING DEVICE FOR MARKING MACHINES Original Filed July 13,1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 10, 1933. P. R. GLASS WORK PRESENTING DEVICEFOR MARKING "mama's Original Filed July 13, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3gall/7141 mum lwlg-ln 'lllllll' VIII/Ill" 3 //v VENTU/L (R,

@c-LIG, 1933. P. R GLASS- WORK PRESENTING DEVICE FOR MARKIN MACHINESOriginal Filed July 13, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 //v vm/ TU/i Patented Oct.10, 1933 "UNI D STATES IWORKY-PRESENTING DEVICE FOR MARK-- r w INGMACHINES iPerley R; Glass, Wayland, Mass, assignor to United ShoeMachinery Corporation, Paterson, N; J., a corporation of New JerseyOriginal application July 13, 1927, Serial No.

205,504. Divided and this application September 10, 1930. Serial No.480,972

I 9Claims. This invention relates to machines for mark- I ing, stampingor embossing-pieces of work, such as parts of boots and shoes, and isherein illustrated as embodied in a machine of the type disclosed inUnited States Letters Patent .No.

1,779,091, granted October 21, 1930, for improvements in Markingmachines, of which this application isa division.

Marking machines of the types which are frequently termed embossingmachines apply a heated ,die to the back side of a pigment-carry- I ingribbon, such as a paper strip, and as the die forces the stripintocontact with the work, the pigment istransferred to the work in thedesired design. 9 I

In the use of a marking machine of the type referred to-for stampingsmall pieces of work, such, for example, as the small, thinpieces knownas heel pods and used as lining pieces above the heel seats of completedshoes,'it has been found difficult to present the Work pieces tothestamping die rapidly and in correct relation to the die withoutdanger of injury to the operators fingers by crushing or by burning.Moreover, the work pieces to be marked are commonly very flexible andnot infrequently flimsy, and the desired marking often occupies aconsiderable portion of the area" of the given piece of work. In view ofthese conditions, the marking machine illustrated as embodying thepresent invention comprises-improved mechanism for transferring workpieces successively from aloading stationto an operating station, atwhich they are marked, and thence to a discharge station. In theillustrated machine, an intermittentlyrotated carrier is surrounded byan annular table, the work pieces being partially supported by theannular table. and overlapping the carrier. on the illustrated carrierare mounted a plurality of clamping devices, each of which is arrangedto engage the edge of'a piece of Work supported upon the annular table.As the carrier is intermittently rotated, a given piece of work is slidalong the annular table and positioned on a work support fora markingoperation. As illustrated, the clamping devices are adjustable radiallyof the carrier. This allows different shapesand sizes of work pieces tobe handled readily. Preferably, a suitable gage l is provided at theloading station, so thatthe position of'each piece of work with respectto its clamping device, and hence with respect to the stamping die, maybe accurately determined.

Preferably too,the rotatable carrier substantial- 1y fills the spacewithin the annulartable, and the carrier and the table together coverthe driv-f .ing mechanism for the carrier. r

It is desirable that the clamping devices'be operated automatically inorder to facilitate the a introduction of work in and its removal fromthe machine, and; accordingly, the illustrated machine has provision forsuch automatic operation of the work-clamping devices. To this end andin accordance with a feature of the inven- H tion, the preferredconstruction and. arrangement are such that each clamping device is heldopen at the loading station for the introduction of work while thecarrier is stationary, andis closed upon the work before the carrier isactuated to transfer the piece of work away from the 7 0 loadingstation.Thus, the introduction and positioning of work are rendered certain andconvenient.

These and other features of the invention may best be understood by aconsideration of the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective viewof a markingmachine embodying my invention with the usual hand wheel removed; 3

Fig. 2 is a detail of the work carrier -oper-. ating mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machines.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectionlthrough the ma- 7 chine from front to backintersecting theflaxis of the rotatable work carrier;

Fig. 5 is a plan 'view'of the work carrier and the work table of themachine;

Fig. 6 is a detailed perspective showing the V cam plate which controlsthe clamping device,

and

Fig. '7 is a radial section through the carrier, the annular table, andone of the clamping do vices.

The invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a Marking machine ofthe type disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,695,-852, grantediDec. 18, 1928 upon the application of P. R. Glass and H. D.Elliott, tov which reference may be had for descriptions of. portionsdrive shaft 24 journaled in the frame of the machine and connected bygears'125-to a'motor shaft 27 provided with fast and loose pulleys. 26to which the belt is guided bymeans of a-manually operable shiftleverj28. v In order that the degree of pressure to be applied to thework may be exactly determined. and adjusted, the spindle 30 form-ingabearing in the frame for the upper-link of the toggle .18 is providedwith an eccentric portion 32 and means embodying a hand wheel :andmorefully illustrated in the parent application to evhichreference hasbeenmade above are pro.- vided-for adjustingthe position of this eccentricportion so that the pressure imparted by the-toggle may be readilyvaried accurately.

:Thesdie-carrying block '16 contains a heating cartridge .andiszrecessedto receive overlapping meshing pinions 52and 54 which are .journaledtherein. Guideways are provided-at the lower side of .the .block Whichreceive a sliding forward .clamping plate .and a sliding rear clampingplate 64. ;Means including said pinions :are .provided forinterconnecting the two clamping plates for equal and opposite movement, and an operating handle 84 is connected togthe rear clamping plateand normally urged byia spring-pressed plunger :86 to hold the clampingmembers 60 and '64 in engagement with .a die '72. Movement .of one ofthe'plates bymeansof theoperating handle 8411s effective simultaneouslyto separate both of the plates to allow removal of the die .72. Whenevera die is placed in \position to .be clamped it will be exactly centeredwith respect to the work supporting table 10 =withoutigreat care on thepart of the operator. The temperature of the diecarrying member 1 61andhence of the die '72 is determined by an adjustable thermostaticallyoperated control member :81. As in the machine disclosed in thepreviously mentioned Patent No. 1,695,582, the pigment-carrying strip 90:is supplied from a roll 92 mounted iin a casing 94 and is guideddownwardly and thence rearwaizdly around a spring-pressed guide rod 96to feed rolls 98 and 100. These rolls are actuated rby means of a pinion104 within a casing 105 and meshing with a segment 106 connected by alink 108 to an .osci'llatable arm 110, carried on a shaft 112.

In orderthat small relatively thin and flimsy pieces of work may be morereadily presented to the machine, there is provided a novel workpresenting device which comprises a rotatable work carrier 120 having aplurality of workclamping devices 122. This rotatable carrier issurroundedb-y a smooth annular table 124 extending from a loadingstation A at the front of the machine to an operating position B andthence to a discharge position C where the annular table is .cut away toprovide a discharge chute 125 on the near sideof which there is 'backand laterally.

V I 1,929,549 I of the machine not fully set forth herein. As

attached a stop-plate 128, the rotatable carrier substantially. fillingthe space within the annular table. The arrangement is such, as will belater described, that the clamps automatically release a piece of workas they approach the discharge station C and normally each piece of workwill be thrown out by centrifugal force and slide down the chute 126into a suitable receptacle (not shown). In case, however, any piece ofwork is caught in the clamping member, it will be brushed out of theclamp and into the chute by engagement with the stop-plate 128. At theloading station, there is provided a gage 130 adjustably held on asupport 132 by a --screw l34 and saidsupport 132 is in turn adwhich isillustrated herein has its edge curved to fit the forward edge of aheelpod 138 (Fig. 5), but itwill be understood that if other differentlyshaped pieces are tobe treated by the machine; j, then another gage maybe substituted which will be properly shaped to assist the operator freeouter ends bent downwardly "-to overlie roughened spots 142 upon thework carrier 120. These roughened spots 142 are provided by means ofstuds 144 (Fig. '7) inserted in the'surface of the table. Each-U-shapedmember140 is centrally supported in a pivoted member' 146 which iscarried on an-adjustable block'l 48 capable of sliding radially in thecarrier 1'20 infa slot 150. Each adjustable block 148 is clamped inadjusted position by means'of-a crossbar 152, the downturned ends ofwhich are brought into gripping engagement with the upper surface of thework carrier 120 by means of a thumbscrew 154.. A spring 156 isinterposed betweeneachof the blocks 1'48 and its pivoted member 146normally to bias the free outer ends of the U-shaped member 140 intoengagement with a piece of work interposed between'saidends and theupper surface of the work carrier. Each pivoted m'ember 146 is providedwith an :anti-friction-roll 158 for a purpose to be latergexplained. Itwill be seen that the particular construction of the clamping devices122 which has been described provides for a firm .engagement withthemargin of a piece of Work, such-as the heel pod 138, which is largelysupported upon the annular table 124 and overlaps the carrier 120. Thismanner of engagement leaves the majority of the surface "of the piece ofwork free for the action of the stamping die and at the same timeprovides a device by means of which the position of each piece of workwith respect to the stamping "die may be exactly determined. The radialadjustment of each clamping device allows its use with differentlyshaped pieces of work.

The annular table 124 including the chute 126 is made as a casting whichis provided with a bottom member 160 forming a closure to cover andprotect the partsof the clamping members which are below the Workcarrier 120. By means of this bottom member 160, the table 124 isattached to a casting 162 which in turnis attached to the machine bybeing secured to a cover plate 164 (Fig. 1) which cooperates with theframe 12 to guide the vertically reciprocable die-carrying head 14. Thecasting 162 is shaped The particular gage 130' (Fig. 1) meshing with asimilar gear 1'74 at the I forward end of a countershaft 176'the rearend of which is connected by suitable gears 178 and 180 (Fig. 3) to thedrive shaft 24 of the machine. The connection between the camshaft 1'70and the carrier shaft166 is such as to transform the continuous rotationofthe cam shaft 170 into an intermittent rotation of the work carrier120. To this end a form of GenevamovementlFigs. 2 and 3) .is providedwhich includes a plate 182, the upper surfaces of which is provided withfour radial grooves 184 corresponding in number to the number ofclamping devices on the carrier. The lower surface of the plate 182 isprovided with a corresponding number-of locking rolls 186. On the camshaft 170, on the other hand, there is provided an actuating roll 188 atthe outer end of an arm 190 and this actuating roll 188 engages in eachof the groovesv 184 to givethe plate 182 and hence the work carrier 120one-quarter of a revolution. every time the 30.. 'shaft 170 and thespeed of this shaft is so conary-and for the operation of the stampingdie at station .13 and which is also arran t0 hold v60, to allow'theconvenient insertion of another piece while the work carrier is still inmotion, the cencam shaft 170 rotates. It will be noted that the workcarrier 120 remains at rest during a considerable part of -the rotationof the cam trolled by a proper design of its driving gears that plentyof time is allowed for the placing of the work in the work clamp at theloading station A while the work carrier 120 is stationthe operatingstation 13. In order that the work carrier 120 may beheldpositivelyagainst rotation during an interval of rest, a grooved earnquadrant 192 is provided upon the cam shaft 170 which is arranged toengage first one and then two of the locking rolls 186 during the timethat the actuating roll 180 is out of engagement with one of the grooves184. Theextent of the quad- .rant 192 is such that itreleases the plate182 'just as soon as the actuating roll 188 is ready to turn the plate182. A positive drive is thus furnished which provides for rotation ofthe work carrier intermittently through degrees to bring another pieceof work to the operating the work carrier positively against rotationduring the operation of the stamping die. Since each of the U-shapedclamping members 140 is normally biased by the spring 156 intoengagement with a piece of work on the carrier, it

is necessary positively to open each clamping member as it comes to thedischarge station so that a work piece will be discharged from thecarrier and so that the work clamp will be open of Work at the loadingstation A. Accordingly, there is provided on the upper surface of thebottom plate 160 of the annular table an irregularly shaped cam plate200 (Figs. 5 and 6), the rear edge of which is beveled at 202 so thatthe 'roller 158 of "the clamping device 122 which is approaching thedischarge station C will ride up over the beveled edge 202 and therebypositively open the clamp. Since this releases the clamp trifugal forceimparted to each piece of work will tend to and usually will throw itout into the chute 126. It will be noted that the forward square edge204 of the camplate'200' lies along a radius adjacent to the loadingstation A. It thus holds open that clamping device 122, which is at theloading station, to allow the interposition of, a piece of work betweenthe carrier and the forward ends of the clamping member 140. In orderthat the clamp may be closed justbefore the work carrier 120 starts berat "the loading station before the carrier is started. To this end thecam plate 200 guided-by means of a stud 206 passing through. a slot 208in the bottom plate 160 of the an-- nular table and is also providedwith a block 210 slidably engaging another slot 212 insaid bottommember. Upon the under sidev of this block'210 a roll 214 is providedwhich is arranged to engage a groove 216 of a cam member 218 secured tothe upper end of the cam shaft 170. Accordingly, the actuation of thecam plate 200 is in timed relation to and precedes each movement of thework carrier 120just as the movements of the carrier 120 are in timedrelation to and precede each operation of the stamping die. The camplate 200 is reciprocated oncefor every rotation of the cam shaft andhence once for every quarter rotation of the carrier.

It is found in some instances, and particularly when pieces of workare'fed automatically by' means of the mechanism shown and describedherein, desirable positively to separate the pieces of work from thepigment-carrying strip 90 after impressions have been made so that thefeeding of the work may not be slowed down by reason of any adhesionbetween the two and so that there may be no danger 'of tearing the strip90 as the pieces of work'are removed from the machine. With this in viewa looped stripper 220 is supported and moved across the path of movementof the die to a forward position prior to the stamping operation andthen, after the die has been lifted, is moved rearwardly along thelength of the strip 90 to separate the strip 90 from the. work 138. Thestripper 220 is supported and moved by means of parallel arms 226 and238 which are operated from'the cam 234. This arrangement is more fullydescribed in the parent application.

In the use of the machine the operator, after pulling forward on thehandle 84 to separate the plates 60 and 64, will insert the desired die72. Upon releasing the handle to bring the plates 60, 64 into clampingengagement with the die, the operator isv assured that the die will beexactly centered in its holder by theclamping mechanism. He will thenadjust the paperfeed if necessary by turning the screw 116 so thatjust.V the required amount of paper strip 90 is fed along at each operation,and, setting the ma chine in motion by means of the belt shifter 28, hewill depress a suitable treadle (not shown) HQ operating station Eat thenext depression of the o treadle. Each time the treadle is depressed,the work carrier 120 will move throughlQO degrees and thus pieces ofwork will be carried successively to the operating station E and then tothe discharge position C where they willbe discharged into the chute126. At each operation of the die, the stripper 220 will move forwardprior to the descent of the die and then rearwardly afterthe die'hasbeen raised and before the work carrier 120 moves, positively toseparate thestrip from the piece of work 138. The control of thetemperature of the die may be effected through the control device 81 andthe pressure applied may be controlled by the manipulation'of the handwheel 40. It will be understood that, if desired, the treadle may bemaintained in depressed position so that the machine repeats its cyclein rapid succession, proloadin'g station as fast as they are taken awayby thework carrier 120.

Having described'my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a marking machine having an operating station and a loadingstation, a depressible work support at the operating station, a markingdie, means for moving said die into forcible contact with a pieceof Worksupported on said depressible work support, an annular table extendingfrom the loading station to the operating station notched to receive thework support and rigidly supported at the normal level of said'worksupportya gage on said table at the loading station 35 substantiallydiametrically opposite to the operating station for positioning a pieceof work with its edge overhanging the inner edge of the annular table,and an intermittently rotatable carrier disposed within said annulartable, said 40 carrier being constructed and arranged to grasp saidprojecting edge of a piece of work and to slide it alongthe table to thework support to exactly the desired relation to the marking die.

2. In a marking machine, a device for transferring pieces of work from aloading station to an operatingstation and thence to a dischargestation, comprising an annular table upon which saidpieces of work arepartially supported durl ing the transferring movement, a carrier within50 said annular table and provided with clamping devices arranged toengage the edges of pieces of work partially supported on said annulartable, said carrier'being rotatable relatively to said table, andmeansfor operating said clamping devices to grip a piece of work at theloading station and to release the piece of work as it approaches thedischarge station.

3. In a marking machine, a device for transferring pieces of work from aloading station to an operating station and thence to a dischargestation, comprising a smooth annular table which is interrupted to forma chute at the discharge station, a rotatable carrier within saidannularltable substantially filling the space inside said table, aclamping device on said carrier, means for operating said clampingdevice at the loading station to cause it to grip the edge of a piece ofwork on the table and overlapping the carrier whereby the work is causedto slide along the annular table to the operating station upon rotationof the carrier, and means for releasing said clamping device as itapproaches the discharge station upon further 'rotation of the carrier,whereby a completed piece of work is thrown into said chute t5 work fromthe loading station to the'operating stationand then to thedischargestation and to open said clamping device while the earner ismoving to discharge and receive work and to close said clamping deviceto hold work "on the carrier. V

5. In a marking machine, a deviceffor trans'jferring pieces of work froma loading station to an operating station and thence to a dis chargestation, comprising a smooth annular table extending from one to theother of said stations, said annular table being my vided with a workstop adjacent to the discharge station, and a rotatable carrier withinsaid annular table and provided with a work-clamping device operableupon iiitermittent movement of the carrier relativly'to the table totransfer a piece of work from the loading station to the operatingstation and thence to the discharge station, said clamping device beingautomatically released as said piece of work approaches said stopwhereby said'piece of work will be taken out of the clamping device byengagement with the stop in case it has not been discharged bycentrifugal force.

6.' In a marking machine, a device for trans ferring pieces of work froma loading station to an operating station and thence to a dischargestation, comprising an annular table ex tending from one to another ofsaid stations, a rotatable carrier within said annular table andprovided with a work-clamping device adjacent to the peripheryof thecarrier to grasp the edge of a piece of work overlying said annulartable, a work-gaging device on said annul'artable, at the loadingstation, whereby the position of a piece of work in said clamping devicemaybe ing the movement of the carrier and arranged to move to close theclamping device While the carrier is stationary. v

8. A work-presenting device for a marking machine for transferringpieces of work from a loading station to an operating station and thenceto a discharge station, comprising a movable carrier and means foroperating said car rier intermittently, a plurality or work-clamp ingdevices on the carrier, and means arranged to remain stationary forreleasing the clamping device while the carrier ismoving and arranged tomove relatively to the carrier for closing the clamping device while thecarrieris stationary;

9. A work-presenting device for amarkin'g machine, comprising acarrierrotatable in one direction and arranged to transfer pieces of fit its

work from a loading station to an operating station and thence to adischarge station, clamping devices on said carrier, means for rotatingsaid carrier intermittently and constructed and arranged to cause thecarrier to pause between its periods of rotation, stationary meansarranged to open a clamping device as the carrier approaches thedischarge station,- and

